San Diego Padres’ star third baseman, Fernando Tatis Jr., has reportedly agreed to a 14-year, $340 million extension.
The contract includes a full no-trade clause and a signing bonus of $10 million. Tatis Jr. is just 22 years old, meaning his contract will be fulfilled by the time he’s 35. He now joins teammate Manny Machado as having a $300+ million contract. Mike Trout and Mookie Betts are the only other two players with bigger deals but also have further established careers.
And, it is important to remember — Tatis Jr. still hasn’t even played a full two seasons yet. He hasn’t even played 162 games yet. Just 143 games into his career, and his impact on not only the San Diego Padres but for all of Major League Baseball, has become extremely apparent. He has become somewhat of a highlight reel for baseball fans, who have watched him make incredible plays at shortstop, along with the home run numbers to make him every bit of a well-rounded player. In his rookie season in 2019, which was cut short due to a back injury, he slashed .317/.379/.590 with 22 home runs. In the shortened 2020 season, he slashed .277/.366/.571 with 17 home runs, tying him for fourth in home run leaders this past season.
This extension just adds to a slew of reasons fans have believed Tatis Jr. is Major League Baseball’s emerging face. Not only has the shortstop been in a number of commercials, but he landed the cover on the upcoming MLB The Show ‘21 game and is set to star in an upcoming TV series called On Deck. He has an energy that attracts a younger crowd of fans, which is a demographic MLB has been trying to find new ways to target.
As pitchers and catchers have just reported to spring training, it almost feels like the Padres haven’t really had an offseason. They had one of the more active offseasons, and this extension of Tatis Jr. just puts them in a better position to become a potential championship team in the long-term.
